Well, as you're surely aware by now, the surgery is over and was a huge success. God's hand has been so evident through the whole process. As a way of proclaiming the greatness of His hand, we will leave this article in the archives for as long as it serves the purpose of bring glory to Him for what He has done.

Today, Thursday, September the 20th, we've posted a blog, under Ann's "Saga of the Sunflower" page, where you can retrace her steps through the journey from the office of the Russian OB/Gyn to the Dallas operating room, a mere three weeks later.

Thank you all SO much for all the support, both in the financial provision to meet the unique needs that have arisen, but for the cherished prayer support that has been coming from around the globe.

UPDATE (Tuesday, September 18th, 9pm):The nurse from Ann?s doctors office called this afternoon to share the final of threepathology reports.Bottom line = no cancer!Praise God!She gave a lot of detailed information that the doctor will explain in fuller detail at her follow-up visit on the 27th.

All reports show that in several areas there were serious pre-cancerous situations brewing and so our decision to go ahead with the hysterectomy seems to be the right course of action. And, the timing of catching this now instead of a year and a half from now, when we planned our next medical check-up, is just clearly an act of God.

Thank you all for your prayers, your support, your love and your concern.We feel so loved by so many.

Ann is still hoping to try and get a story written on the website under the ?blog-a-dot section? detailing some of what God has been teaching her through this process.

God is good.He is good all the time!And He definitely makes a way!

UPDATE (Saturday, September 15th, 10:00am): The doctor came in this morning and gave the orders for Ann to be discharged from the hospital. We should be checking out about noon. Praise God! She's ready to get out of here. She's still in pain of course, but I think she's ready to really get some rest and she'll be able to rest better away from this place and all the distractions and disturbances. Thanks for all the prayers. God's hand is on her.

UPDATE (Thursday, September 13th, 4:00pm):Praise God for a successful surgery today!!!Ann's surgery began this morning at about 7:30 at Presbyterian Hospital, Dallas, in the Margo Perot building. At 9:30 the surgeon came out and reported that all had gone very well, and that she had successfully removed the uterus that had been determined "pre-cancerous" by the biopsy done last week, and that she also took out her tubes and ovaries. She also believes she successfully removed the tumors, or growths that were on both her uterus and ovary.

She (the surgeon) said the largest tumor was not attached to the uterus as she originally thought, but rather to the ovary, verifying the original findings of the Russian doctor?s examinations.

For me, Robert, all these technical details of ?what? was removed were not near as big a concern as the pathology of what she removed.In other words, did they find cancer?The sense of relief that I felt when I got the news was a revelation to me of how unaware I was of the fear that was pressing in on me.

Pathologists evaluated the tumors while Ann was still on the operating table and assessed them to be benign.They used a procedure called a ?frozen section? to aid them in their assessment. Further pathology will be done in the next few days on the growths they removed to make a final determination.

All seem to agree that there is SO much for us to be thankful for in this, not the least of which is the timing and bizarre circumstances God used to bring this to light before it developed further into a much more threatening situation.We were determined to remain in Russia for at least another year, to possibly two years, before returning to the States and getting some routine medical examinations.Only God knows what might have happened if this went unchecked for that duration of time.

They expect her to be able to go home (in this case to her friend Becky's house here in Dallas) on Saturday, to continue her recovery. Thanks again for standing with us in prayer as the Great Physician completes His healing work in her during this recovery period.

As I close this update, I?ve got to tell you that probably my favorite highlight of the day is happening right now, as our oldest son Aaron is sitting by Ann?s bed and reading to her the epistle to the Philippians.Ann loves to hear God?s word read aloud, and there are probably no voices in which she?d enjoy that more than the voices of her own sons.

Click this link for Ann's "PRAYER FLASH REPORT"

Click this link for Ann's "SAGA OF THE SUNFLOWER"blog-page

Click this link for Robert's "LIFE AT THE FRAT HOUSE"blog-page

Here is an update on the needs, and how they are being met.

Airplane tickets to Dallas -covered

Additional Travel Expense - covered

Train travel to Moscow for flights

Taxi fares between train station and Moscow airport

Additional cost of meals away from home

Housing while in Dallas - covered

Use of a car in Dallas - covered

Medical costs - appear to be covered , though we don't know bottom line yet

$3,500 (according to Ins. Co. as total out-of-pocket for calendar yr)

med costs in Russia for 3 OB/GYN consultations, an ultrasound exam, and MRI, plus translation and transportation costs were little more than a couple hundred dollars.

How can you help be part of the provision?

If you are led to be part of God's provision for any of these needs, you can always contact us by email to let us know of your desire or intention. Our addresses are listed on our Contact Us page of this site.

Many of the expenses mentioned above can be covered through our personal missionary account at East-West, so if you would like to receive a tax deductable receipt for your contribution, you can give through a new ON-LINE GIVING site provided by East-West and accessible through the link here or on the left of this page.

If you are not interested in getting a tax deductable receipt and you would like to participate in helping off-set some of the non-reimbursable expenses, you can write a check directly, made out to either Robert or Ann, and send it to Robert's dad in Midlothian, Texas. He handles our mail and bills stateside and is able to deposit funds directly into our personal bank account.

His address is: Ralph Fuqua, 840 Mt. Zion Rd., Midlothian, Tx. 76065

We thank you for your concern, for your prayers, and for the many ways in which we are blessed and served by you all. May God bless you abundantly in the place He has you planted.